Jaques Kallis joins 13,000 Test Runs club

South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis has become only the 4th batsman ever to score over 13,000 Test runs. Wow!

The 37-year-old surpassed the mark with a boundary in the 1st Test against New Zealand at Cape Town, today.

He is the 4th batsman after India's Sachin Tendulkar and Raul Dravid, and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting to have scored more than 13,000 runs in Test matches.

An interesting point is that Jaques Kallis, later out for 60, achieved the milestone having played the fewest Tests of those four players. But Tendulkar, who tops the standings with 15,645 runs, scored 13,000 runs in fewer innings.

But let us talk of today. Jaques Kallis, if he plays out this season - and there is no reason to believe he cannot play a couple of seasons more - may well become the 2nd highest scorer of Test runs.

Jaques Kallis is just 248 runs behind Rahul Dravid and 338 behind Ricky Ponting. I hope he goes on for another season or two. Though there is no way for him to catch up or surpass Sachin Tendulkar, his feat when (if) he manages to pass Ponting will remain for a long time to come.

Of the top 20 Test run scores today, there are only 3 active players apart from Kallis who have scored 10,000+ runs. Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are the others.

In fact of the top 20 Test run scorers, there is only one more active player - Virender Sehwag - at number 18. For the next active player who is anywhere near, we have to reach as low as 34 and touch Kevin Pietersen.

Player

Years

Matches

Inns

Runs

Sachin Tendulkar (India)*

1989-2012

194

320

15645

Ricky Ponting (Aus)

1995-2012

168

287

13378

Rahul Dravid (ICC/India)

1996-2012

164

286

13288

Jaques Kallis (ICC/SA)*

1995-2013

159

269

13040

Brian Lara (ICC/WI)

1990-2006

131

232

11953

Allan Border (Aus)

1978-1994

156

265

11174

Steve Waugh (Aus)

1985-2004

168

260

10927

S Chanderpaul (WI)*

1994-2012

146

249

10696

M Jayawardene (SL)*

1997-2012

137

230

10674

Sunil Gavaskar (India)

1971-1987

125

214

10122

K Sangakkara (SL)*

2000-2012

115

196

10045

Graham Gooch (Eng)

1975-1995

118

215

8900

Javed Miandad (Pak)

1976-1993

124

189

8832

Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak)

1992-2007

120

200

8830

VVS Laxman (India)

1996-2012

134

225

8781

Matthew Hayden (Aus)

1994-2009

103

184

8625

Graeme Smith (ICC/SA)

2002-2013

106

186

8570

V Sehwag (ICC/India)*

2001-2012

102

177

8559

Vivian Richards (WI)

1974-1991

121

182

8540

Alec Stewart (Eng)

1990-2003

133

235

8463

What is left unsaid is Jacques Kallis also has 282 Test wickets as a bowler - which makes him the greatest all rounder of all time.

Great day for Test Cricket. and a great Cricketer.

PS: Just go to Google image search and type “cartoon+” and add “sachin tendulkar”, “ricky ponting”, “rahul dravid” and ‘jacques kallis” for a one by one search. Compare how many cartoons you get for each of the other vis-a-vis Kallis.
:-D